Soon
by SarahMel
Summary: A one shot regarding the events of Rubble with a Cause. Updated with Chapter 2 based on reviews!
1. Chapter 1

**Soon**

Rating: K+ (because it mentions shooting)

Spoilers: Rubble with a Cause

Summary: A one-shot that needed to be written about that conversation in the collapsed parking garage, and the look on Mary's face at the end. Also, this story was getting in the way of a longer one I'm working on, so I had to just get it written.

Disclaimer: Don't own 'em. Never have, never will. But since the latest episodes have been so aggravating, I have to remedy things. Don't sue. There's no point since I have nothing. My car is barely worth the tires it rests on.

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Immediately after the events of Rubble with a Cause

_Marshall _

He listened to her over the radio. He knew she was playing for time, but he also knew she was serious. He did have her back, 24/7. And she his. He wasn't fooled by the Twinkie comment. He knew she'd never sell him out for a Twinkie. But he what he didn't know was how deep that partnership ran. Did she know that he loved her? That he'd protect her not only from external enemies, but from her own personal demons?

They'd shared a look, just a moment, after she'd come down from that building, filthy and exhausted. The look was one of relief, and gratefulness. It was the kind of look they shared pretty regularly. As he took control of Locke, he listened again as Locke told her he knew she believed what she said. And Marshall saw it in her face – fear. She wasn't the trusting type. To trust someone the way she trusted Marshall was scary. To admit to trusting him was even scarier.

He didn't see her again until Monday after the weekend. He called that night, to make sure she was ok, but there was no answer, no return call. Monday things were back to normal. Nothing was said about the weekend events beyond discussing the condition of the witness. But Marshall didn't forget what had happened, what had been said. He knew she heard Locke, but she'd put that fear in a corner of her mind where scary things went, rather than dealing with it. He knew, eventually, they'd deal with it. But not right away.

###

_Mary_

Two months later

Mary Shannon sat with Lewis Fowler AKA Lewis Ford AKA Lewis TBD, prior to boarding their flight for Seattle. One of the benefits of flying a protected witness places was you didn't have to travel commercial air. Mary hated commercial airlines, with a passion. All that security, even with the badge it was still a pain in the ass. But today, government provided and funded private aircraft. God Bless Lewis Fowler and his willingness to testify. Because of him, this trip to Seattle would be less painful than the average trip.

"How are you feeling these days, Lewis? Mostly recovered? Do the girls dig your new scar?"

"Oh you know, nothing like having a large metal rod stuck in you for hours on end to make a guy grateful for a new lease on life. Literally, since I also get a new name and a new identity," Lewis snarked. "And yeah, girls dig scars. Although this one…might need a new story. Ideas?"

"Hmm, well, you could say you had to be freed from a car crash with the jaws of life. Something like you read about in Readers' Digest."

"Readers Digest, Mary? You gotta get out more."

"Don't I know it. But look who's talking. You're not exactly the life of the party."

"Only because some people still want me dead, even if Harrison is locked up."

"Yeah yeah, excuses excuses. Admit it, you're a hermit."

"Ok ok! I'm a hermit. Point taken."

They walked onto the plane, and took their seats. The plane taxied out towards the runway and lifted off.

"Seriously though, have I told you I'm grateful for what you did on top of that building two months ago? 'Cause I am."

"Lewis, I was just doing my job."

"That may be, but I am still allowed to thank you. You saved my life. Although, you may have pissed Harrison off enough that if he ever gets out, he'll come after you. "

"I specialize in pissing people off. It's a skill set I have. Just ask my partner."

"He's a lucky guy, being partnered with you."

"Well I think I'm a catch, but he may feel differently. In fact, he once told me that he spends much of his time protecting me from the world, and the world from me. Not sure that's a good thing."

"I think that's one of the primary functions in partners. Protecting each other. The hardest part of testifying is knowing that I have to stop protecting Harrison. I know in my head it's the right thing to do, because I can't condone going outside the terms of the mission. But at the same time, he was my partner, my friend, and I'm turning my back on him. Would he do the same thing in my shoes? I don't know. "

"Lewis, you're doing the right thing. Hell, I'm pretty sure Marshall would throw me to the wolves if I did what Harrison did."

"And you? Would you throw him to the wolves?"

Mary reflected on that for a minute. "To be honest Lewis, I don't know. It would be wildly out of character for Marshall to break with the rules and goals of the mission. The only reason I can see him doing it is to save my life, his life, or someone else's life. That's who he is. He's a fundamentally honorable, standup guy. He…"

"Mary, I may have only been half-conscious up there on that pile of cement, but I heard what you said, and I know you meant it."

"We've been through a lot, Marshall and I. He absolutely does have my back. Always." Mary swallowed hard, as she remembered that day, feelings welling up inside of her, unbidden. "Remember how I said I shot someone? That night, Marshall found me. He found me, and he protected me. Not from the person I shot – I'd done that already, obviously. He protected me from the world that night, and from myself over the next few days. I don't know what I'd have done without him."

"From experience I can tell you that a good partner is hard to come by. Don't let him get away."

Mary smiled at this. "Shut up, Lewis." She reached into her bag. "I'm reading now. Entertain yourself until we get to Seattle."

Lewis just laughed, and leaned back, eyes closed. "I'm planning on sleeping anyways. Dead guys like me need lots of sleep."

###

Mary tried to concentrate on her book, unsuccessfully. The downside to traveling for work without Marshall was a lack of entertainment. The downside to traveling for work at all was a lack of entertainment. No movies, no iPods, etc. Reading. And thinking.

She was still processing the conversation with Lewis. She hadn't thought a lot about that day in the intervening months. She had been telling the truth when she talked about partners. There was no way in hell she'd ever throw Marshall to the wolves. But then again, it was so unlikely he would ever need throwing. It was far more likely to be the other way around. She was the one who made mistakes, got emotional, and was unpredictable. And yet, if she thought about it, he'd always had her back when things started to go south.

Life was funny that way, she realized. Some people bail on you the first sign of trouble. Other people assiduously avoid trouble. Jinx was one of the former. She'd pull out the bottle of wine if she even smelled trouble. But since she caused trouble as often as not, she couldn't really be classified as "avoiding trouble." And Brandi, well, Brandi probably was a bailer too.

Raph didn't bail, but he sure managed to be conspicuously absent whenever trouble was brewing. After that Spanky Carson nightmare, he claimed he wished he'd been there to protect her. But Mary had her doubts. Raph had no idea what protecting her involved. He would want to be all macho and punch the guy. But that wasn't what she needed. She needed someone who knew her to protect her. Because what Mary needed was to be protected from herself, from her own failings and fears.

Tears threatened at her eyes. Not a good time to cry. Looking over to see if Lewis was asleep, and noting that he was, she reached for her cell phone. One of the benefits of private planes was the cell phone rules were non-existent, except during take off and landing. Hesitating only slightly, she dialed Marshall as she walked towards the back of the plane, careful not to disturb Lewis.

"Marshall."

"Hey, it's me."

"Hey, everything ok? Aren't you supposed to be en route to Seattle?"

"Yeah, I am. It's fine. I just…"

"Yes?"

"I wondered if we could have dinner when I get home tonight. I know it will be late, but I really think I need to talk to you."

"Is something wrong?"

"No, no. I just…can we talk about it tonight?"

"Sure. Meet you at the airport."

"Ok, great. See you then."

Mary hung up the phone, feeling simultaneously relieved and anxious. She knew what she wanted, she just wasn't sure how it was going to work. But she was pretty sure that, as long as she had Marshall, everything would work out.

###

Marshall smiled as he hung up the phone. A call like that on this day only meant one thing – she was ready to talk about them. As partners, as friends, as something more. He knew the day would come. He just didn't expect it to be so soon.

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Reviews are always welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

*****Your reviews inspired me to add a second chapter. There's probably a third in the making. Tell me what you want to see.********

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Chapter 2

It was late as Marshall pulled up to the airport. He showed his badge and was waved through to the tarmac. He was grateful for the private plane the Marshal Service chartered for these witness transports. It made things a little easier for the Marshals. In this case, it meant that while it was pretty late, Mary's day would have been made slightly less horrific. Mary wasn't a good traveler, and she tended to be cranky after a full day of air travel. But this was her idea, so he hoped her mood reflected that.

The plane was just taxiing to a stop when he pulled around in front of the hangar the Marshal Service used. Perfect timing. He got out of the car, closed the door, walked around to the passenger side where he leaned against the car and waited.

…

Mary stood at the top of the stairs to exit the plane. She was tired, but really keyed up emotionally. Who wouldn't be, when she was preparing for a potentially life-altering conversation with her best friend. Emotions were coursing through her body – fear, trust, anxiety, joy, love. It was all a little overwhelming, the idea that she would take this next step with Marshall.

As she started down the stairs, she saw him. His long, lean frame leaned casually against his SUV. She was seized by a sudden desire to sprint across the tarmac, grab him and haul him into the back of the car and have her way with him. But there were people watching. Career ending people. Also, she'd done that before, and it wasn't what she wanted with Marshall. If she was going to do this with Marshall, she wanted it to be more than sex.

Taking a deep breath, she started across the tarmac towards him. The moment of truth was coming.

…

"Hey."

"Hey yourself," Marshall said. "Hungry?"

"Yeah."

"Let's get a bite."

"Sounds good."

He opened the door for her. It was not unusual for him to do that, but today, it struck her that other men in her past rarely did that for her. She climbed into the front seat as he took her bag from her, and put it in the back.

She leaned her head back against the head rest, and closed her eyes. She heard Marshall climb into the drivers' seat, and start the car. Grateful for his presence and easy companionship, she just let herself relax as he drove.

"I thought we'd just go back to my place after we pick something up. Quieter, more comfortable. You can take a shower there if you want."

Mary sighed. "That sounds good, Marshall. I could use a shower. Where should we get take-out?"

"I was thinking Dos Hermanos. Enchiladas sound good?"

"Yeah, perfect. All I've had to eat today was a turkey sandwich and an apple around 1. You mind if I close my eyes until we're there?"

"Just tell me what you want to eat, and you can close your eyes until we are home."

"Cheese enchiladas, green chile."

"Alright. Eyes closed, rest. I'll wake you when we're home."

Thanking God for Marshall and his easygoing nature, Mary closed her eyes. Marshall was the only person in her life who would treat her this way after a long day. Her family would pepper her with questions, complaints and gripes. Raph would try to take care of her, but he always ended up hovering and irritating her. His idea of helping resulted in him acting needy. Mary needed fewer needy people in her life.

…

As he maneuvered the SUV into his driveway, Marshall glanced over at Mary. She was out. He didn't have the heart to wake her. He knew she'd been up at 5 to go to Seattle. Now it was 10, she hadn't eaten dinner yet, and she was asleep, like a baby. He turned the car off, and got out. Opening the door to the backseat, he removed their dinner and headed for the front door. He decided he'd just put their dinner in the oven to keep it warm, and they'd eat when she woke up.

Now, he just had to get her in the house. Without waking her. Marshall considered carrying her into the house, but decided that was a good way to get himself clipped upside the head with her Glock. He didn't think she'd appreciate being left in the car either. Marshall debated his options – wake the sleeping bear, or wait for her to wake herself.

Settling on the latter, he returned to the car, with a book. Dinner was in the oven, staying warm. He figured her hunger would wake her shortly. Until then, he was happy to sit with her and read.

A few minutes later, Mary was roused by her phone buzzing. She shifted in her seat, blinked her eyes, and reached for her phone. Brandi. She hit the ignore button. She'd had the good sense to call Brandi from Seattle and tell her she wouldn't be home tonight in all likelihood. She turned towards the driver's seat and saw Marshall.

"Why didn't you wake me? How long have I been asleep?"

"Only about 30 minutes. We only pulled up the house about 5 or 10 minutes ago. Dinner is in the house, and I decided not to wake you. I figured there was a decent chance you'd maim me if I woke you."

"Wiseass."

"Hungry?"

"Starved."

"Let's go inside. "

"Marshall, I…"

"I know, Mary. You want to talk. But talking is better accomplished over a meal. I promise, we'll talk."

With that, he got out of the car, and walked over to her side. He opened her door, and offered his hand. As she took it, he felt a slight tremor shoot through his veins towards his heart. He hadn't been anxious about this conversation till now. The gravity of the situation was starting to hit him. Mary was ready. After 6 years, Mary was ready. He wasn't sure he was prepared for what this entailed, but he was damn sure he was going to enjoy the ride.

Taking a slight risk, he intertwined their fingers as they headed towards the front door. He enjoyed the pressure of her fingers on his. She did not pull back. That must be a good sign, he thought. He escorted her into the kitchen, pulling out a chair at the counter for her.

"Dinner is served, my lady." Marshall opened the oven, and removed the enchiladas. He then removed the plates he'd put in there to warm as well. Warm food was better served on warm plates. Setting a plate in front of Mary, Marshall then lifted some enchiladas from the aluminum pan onto her plate, and then onto his. "Something to drink, perhaps? Water, Diet Coke, whiskey?"

As much as she wanted a drink to calm her nerves, Mary decided that would not actually help. "Water is good, thanks."

Marshall turned away to get glasses and fill them with ice and water. Returning a moment later, he placed the drinks at their respective spots. "Bon appétit!"

Mary began to eat, silently. She wasn't sure where to begin this conversation. But since he seemed in no rush, she decided she wasn't either. She needed a few minutes to compose her thoughts anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

*****Final chapter. I hope it goes the way you wanted it to. Reviews welcomed. *** **

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**Chapter 3**

Marshall may be a bad-ass lawman now, but he wasn't always a bad-ass with a best friend like Mary. He desperately wants things to progress in their relationship, but he's scared. He wasn't scared when it seemed hypothetical, or something that was still a long time coming. But now? She's in his house and she wants to talk. Really, that should be Talk with a capital T. And he's scared.

Scared that she will change her mind. Scared that she'll decide Marshall the boyfriend is not as good as Marshall the friend. And scared that if something goes wrong, he'll lose his best friend. His only friend. Partners at work are replaceable, to some degree, but best friends are not.

He watches her eat, and he pushes his food around on his plate, like a kid trying to make it seem like he's eating something when he actually isn't. He's not really that hungry anyways. He wonders if he should say something, get the ball rolling, so to speak. On the other hand, what do you say to the girl of your dreams after she's called you and told you she's ready? There's no script for this conversation. Not sure where to start, he decides to go with his old stand-by – random knowledge gleaned from whatever source caught his fancy today.

"Did you know that Seattle has the highest percentage of college and university graduates of any city in the nation? Over 50% of the population holds a bachelor's degree or higher. That's nearly double the national average."

Mary recognized what Marshall was doing, and she smiled. "Marshall, shut up. I don't want to talk about Seattle's educated population."

"I know. I just figured it would alleviate some of the slightly awkward silence."

"I'm sorry. I don't know how to say this. I don't even know what to say."

"Why don't you tell me about your day?"

"Ok. So Lewis and I were talking during the flight up to Seattle. He was, I don't know, sort of mourning the loss of his partnership with Harrison Locke. Our relationship, yours and mine, came up. More accurately, he asked me what I would do if you broke the law, I guess to see if the answer would be different than it was when Locke was around."

"And was it?"

"No, of course not. You know that Marshall. First of all, the likelihood of you doing something criminal is pretty remote. The only reason you would do it…"

"Is to protect you."

Shit, Mary thought. This conversation was going a little too quickly. "Marshall, I don't need to be protected."

"Not from the outside world, maybe. You can definitely handle yourself in that regard."

Crap, crap, crap. Mary started to panic. Marshall knew her too well. It was like he was reading her mind.

Marshall could see her mind starting to work through this last statement. "Mary, can I tell you something?"

Desperate to get the attention off of her, Mary agreed. "Sure."

"You're my best friend. What we have is good, really good. We look out for each other, not just professionally, but personally. We're human, we make mistakes, we get hurt, we hurt people. Shit, sometimes we hurt ourselves. What I need from you, and what I hope you need from me, is love."

"Marshall, you're such a Hallmark card. You need love? That's not helpful."

"You didn't let me finish. You know how much I love you, as my best friend." He took a deep breath, and decided to go for it. It was time. Go big or go home. "I want more. If you can't give me more, I understand. I'll always be here for you. But I want more. I want to be not only your best friend, and your partner, but your life partner. I want to be there at night when you're feeling abandoned and scared, because I know you have those feelings. And I want you to be there at night when I'm feeling insecure and anxious." He paused, hoping she'd say something.

Mary swallowed hard. She hadn't really expected him to make this declaration. But she was a little relieved. "Yes."

"Yes what?"

"Yes I want those things too. I want you, my best friend, to be more than my best friend. I don't know what that will look like or how it will work, but I know I want it."

Marshall smiled. He was a little stunned at how…forthright Mary was being. Usually he had to drag things like this out of her. He reached over and took her hand.

"We'll figure it out. In the meantime, let's hit the hay. I'm tired, you're tired. No need to solve the world's problems tonight."

"Marshall, are you asking me to sleep with you?" Mary raised an eyebrow and smirked at him.

"Only in the purest sense of the world. Tonight we sleep, tomorrow..." his voice trailed off.

Mary got out of her chair, walked the few steps towards Marshall, and put her arms around him, pulling him into a long hug. He leaned down and kissed her gently, a promise of more to come.

"Come on, bedtime."

"Marshall, I need a shower and I have nothing to sleep in. And no, you are not getting me naked tonight."

"You know where the shower is, and I'll get you a pair of pajama pants."

"Ok but not the cowboy ones!"

"Deal."

Marshall smiled as he watched Mary walk into the bathroom. He was still scared. They both were. But really, a little fear was a good thing when it came to love, he decided. Kept you on your toes and all that.

Love. He couldn't believe it. He'd told her how he felt, and she reciprocated. He knew this day would come. He just didn't expect it to have come so soon.


End file.
